Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item :http://hdl.handle.net/2066/69564

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Subject:

EBP 4: Quality of Care

Organization:

IQ Healthcare

Former Organization:

Centre for Quality of Care Research

Journal title:

Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal

Volume:

vol. 18

Issue:

iss. 2

Page start:

p. 173

Page end:

p. 192

Abstract:

This paper explores the relevance of the debate about ethical expertise for the practice of clinical ethics. We present definitions, explain three theories of ethical expertise, and identify arguments that have been brought up to either support the concept of ethical expertise or call it into question. Finally, we discuss four theses: the debate is relevant for the practice of clinical ethics in that it (1) improves and specifies clinical ethicists' perception of their expertise; (2) contributes to improving the perception of moral competence of non-ethicists; (3) gives insight into complementary styles of argumentation of ethicists and non-ethicists; and (4) contributes to the awareness of the problem of profession-building of (clinical) ethicists.